Kamala Harris LGBTQ+ fundraiser attracts more than 20,000 participants
Kamala Harris has appeared on the cover of TIME magazine. (Getty)
A group of more than 20,000 activists gathered for an LGBTQ+ community call backing Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign.
Organised by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the “Out for Kamala Harris LGBTQ+ Unity” video call brought a mix of activists, students, allies and others together for the fundraiser.
“Tonight is about showing the strength of our community and our unwavering support for vice-president Kamala Harris,” HRC president Kelley Robinson said. “We are here to rally, to organise and to ensure that we elect the first woman, the first Black woman, and the first Southeast Asian woman, to the highest office in the land.”
Harris became the Democratic presumptive nominee for the presidency after Joe Biden announced his decision not to seek re-election, in the wake of continuing questions about his health.
Biden offered his “full support and endorsement” for Harris to be the nominee to face former president Donald Trump at the polls in November.
The HRC publicly backed Harris following Biden’s decision, with its virtual fundraiser raising more than $300,000 (£235,000) in just two-and-a-half hours.
The Harris campaign’s national LGBTQ+ engagement director, Sam Alleman, told The Advocate that the outpouring of support was historic and a reflection of the solidarity between queer people.
“Team Harris is stronger with the unrivalled organising spirit of LGBTQ+ organisers,” he said.
The call included testimonies from high-profile supporters, including former CNN anchor Don Lemon, ex-footballer Ashlyn Harris and actor Wilson Cruz.
“We need to come together like never before,” Cruz said. “Kamala Harris is committed to our community in ways that go beyond mere words. She lives and breathes this fight every day, I’ve seen it up close.”
Modern Family star Jesse Tyler Ferguson told the others that he was supportive of Harris because: “I am not a crazy person.
“Also, I wanted to admit, all those text messages that you’ve been getting, saying, ‘Will you definitely vote for Kamala Harris in this election? Press stop to quit, all that stuff.’ Those were from me,” he joked.
The call even got a moment with iconic Wonder Woman star Lynda Carter who said that Harris was a candidate who “stands up for equal rights”. She told voters to “rise up and feel this opportunity in your very bones”.
Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.
How did this story make you feel?
